– Memorial Service for Floyd Cheatham, 82, of Brownsboro will be held on Friday, October 21, 2016 at 4:00 P.M. at the Hannigan Smith Funeral Home in Athens, Texas with Pastor Dewayne Tedford officiating.

Mr. Cheatham passed away on Saturday October 15, 2016 in Athens.

Floyd Newton Cheatham, son of Archie Newton and Minnie Leona Wells Cheatham was born on August 26, 1934 in Lindale, TX. He was the seventh of eight children. He lived with his family until his mother’s death 4 years later in 1938. At which time he was turned over to the Corsicana State Orphans Home. Floyd was very active in sports, FFA and Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston area fat stock shows. After graduating from Corsicana State Home High School he worked various jobs that led him to Bonners Ferry, Idaho. He worked for the Idaho State Highway department until enlisting in the United States Marine Corp in October 1955, he received an honorable discharge as a Corporal.
In 1958 he returned to Bonners Ferry and took work with the U.S. Forest Service in the engineering department. In the spring 1964 he met the love of his life, Jeannette Cenfield; they were married 6 months later on October 29th 1964 and together they had 4 children. Floyd worked for Louisiana Pacific lumber company in Moyie Springs, Idaho for 32 years retiring in 2000. Over the years Floyd and Jeannette took in extra children and animals. Their doors were always open and meal times were often the best times of day with laughter and good food. Floyd worked very hard around the farm raising cattle, hogs, chickens, sheep, horses and his pride and joy his children.
Floyd loved to travel and to go camping where he took his family on many extended vacations. He was an outdoorsman who loved hunting, wood working, horseback riding and collecting rocks. His main joy in life was spending time with his family; especially being involved in his grandchildren’s activities. Floyd was a member of the Damascus Baptist Church, of Lindale, TX.

Floyd is preceded in death by his parents, Archie and Minnie Cheatham, sister, Emma Hancock, brothers Ray Cheatham, Lloyd Cheatham, Andy Cheatham.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanette Cheatham; four children, Wendy Jean Cheatham of Brownsboro, TX Stephen Wesley Cheathan and wife Laura of Hayden, Idaho Deborah Lynn Higgins and husband Joseph of Naples, Idaho, Phillip Jason Cheatham and Michele Thiem of Athens, TX. Two sisters Marietta McElroy of San Diego, CA Noma Jean Manning of Birmingham, Al, One brother Wayne “TEX” Cheatham of Post Falls, Idaho. Eleven grandchildren; Jessica Lynn Cheatham, Michael Lee Wesley Murphy, Christopher Matthew Cheatham, Stephanie Nichole Vogel, Jacob Vogel, Kevin Donald Cheatham, Cooper Glen Joseph Higgins, Kelsey Jo McKnight, Samantha Leona Cheatham, Haley Taylor Cheatham; six great grandchildren, Jada, Jazi, Landon, Wesley, Nolan, and Wyatt and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

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